Pinnacle/Colgan/Mesaba TA Countdown
10-29-2010 | 07:01 AM
#371
Line Holder
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 933
Likes: 80
From: 73N
Problems with dual qualification.
1. Training. As already posted what happens if you have been flying the 200 for the last 3 months but the only sim available for your PC is a 900?
2. Fewer higher paying positions. The main point of dual qualification to the company is to have fewer 900 awards. A 900 awarded pilot will have their vacation, sick time, min guarantee etc in 900 pay. A 200 awarded pilot will have all of this pay on the 200 rate even though they may fly the 900 60% of the time.
3. Fewer positions overall. The added efficiency of dual qualification will require less pilots. That means we will be run even thinner than we currently are. That means we are that much closer to furlough/downgrades if we see stagnation or less flying in the future.
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The language of the dual qualification in TA1 was terrible. Correct me if I am not accurate, but I believe the number of 900 awarded positions was somewhere in the range of ~3.5 positions per airframe after the last phase. If we staff the 200 closer to ~5.0 when we aren't run down to the bone that is an average of ~1.5 captain and first officer slots that will be paid at the 200 rate as a baseline but be primarily 900 positions. How is Mesaba staffed on the 900? I'd be willing to bet that you guys are staffed well over 5 crews per aircraft? How many high paying positions will you be losing?
Even if the dual qualification section required 7 awarded 900 crews per airframe you would still have the problem with training. Strong language would be needed to protect you from training in an aircraft you havent flown for a long period of time. At that point you have to ask yourself, if I don't want to take a PC in that aircraft, should I really be flying it full of people?
1. Training. As already posted what happens if you have been flying the 200 for the last 3 months but the only sim available for your PC is a 900?
2. Fewer higher paying positions. The main point of dual qualification to the company is to have fewer 900 awards. A 900 awarded pilot will have their vacation, sick time, min guarantee etc in 900 pay. A 200 awarded pilot will have all of this pay on the 200 rate even though they may fly the 900 60% of the time.
3. Fewer positions overall. The added efficiency of dual qualification will require less pilots. That means we will be run even thinner than we currently are. That means we are that much closer to furlough/downgrades if we see stagnation or less flying in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The language of the dual qualification in TA1 was terrible. Correct me if I am not accurate, but I believe the number of 900 awarded positions was somewhere in the range of ~3.5 positions per airframe after the last phase. If we staff the 200 closer to ~5.0 when we aren't run down to the bone that is an average of ~1.5 captain and first officer slots that will be paid at the 200 rate as a baseline but be primarily 900 positions. How is Mesaba staffed on the 900? I'd be willing to bet that you guys are staffed well over 5 crews per aircraft? How many high paying positions will you be losing?
Even if the dual qualification section required 7 awarded 900 crews per airframe you would still have the problem with training. Strong language would be needed to protect you from training in an aircraft you havent flown for a long period of time. At that point you have to ask yourself, if I don't want to take a PC in that aircraft, should I really be flying it full of people?
10-29-2010 | 08:19 AM
#372
Line Holder
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
You should be helping the company to the fullest extent that our union contract allows. It cracks me up when people screw the performance numbers on purpose and then get ****ed when the company won't pay better. This is business, pure and simple. If you feel like a slave get a new job. Otherwise show up and fly the contract.
The more profitable the company the more money we can negotiate for. I've flown both the 200 & 900 it's easy to transition between the two. As stated in a earlier post: Pay based off seniority would nullify any issues with sick leave, disability etc. UPS does this already.
The union comes to the table realizing the different scenarios and their cost vs benefits. This isn't caving to the company without anything in return. Part of negotiating is give and take. We'll cut your costs, but we get a percentage of that cost to increase our benefits.
My question to you if the union could negotiate
1) more days off, better pay with a dual qual pilot group
vs
2) lower pay, less days off with two fleet groups
Which would you choose?
The more profitable the company the more money we can negotiate for. I've flown both the 200 & 900 it's easy to transition between the two. As stated in a earlier post: Pay based off seniority would nullify any issues with sick leave, disability etc. UPS does this already.
The union comes to the table realizing the different scenarios and their cost vs benefits. This isn't caving to the company without anything in return. Part of negotiating is give and take. We'll cut your costs, but we get a percentage of that cost to increase our benefits.
My question to you if the union could negotiate
1) more days off, better pay with a dual qual pilot group
vs
2) lower pay, less days off with two fleet groups
Which would you choose?
Are you nuts?
10-29-2010 | 10:15 AM
#374
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: SAAB
Please reread my post that you quoted. My answer to your question is already there.
10-29-2010 | 12:07 PM
#376
Day puke
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Out.
All pay and benefits are based on the highest rate the individual is qualified on PLUS an override for the extra work to maintain proficiency in multiple aircraft.
IF they want it that bad, make them pay.
10-29-2010 | 05:05 PM
#378
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 0
From: Up Front
Because it's a turboprop, and everyone knows jet drivers are better pilots and should be compensated better.
10-29-2010 | 06:27 PM
#380
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
From: MSP CA
I don't know what the right answers are as far as what we should get in return, but rest assured, PNCL management is going to want Dual Qual!!!
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